PROJECT
ONE-MINUTE VIRAL PROMO PIECE FOR CHINESE RECORDING ARTIST, SA DING DING.
AGENCY: STUDIO OUTPUT BEIJING
CLIENT: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ASIA
DIRECTOR: LEE VALMASSY
FIELD NOTES
BEIJING IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO SHOOT. IN EVERY DIRECTION THAT YOU LOOK, SOMETHING CRAZY IS HAPPENING. A THREE-WHEELED TRUCK PILED TWO STORIES HIGH WITH CARDBOARD BOXES. A GUY WITH A LOUDSPEAKER ATTACHED TO HIS BELT SELLING HOUSES. TO ADD TO THIS DELIGHT, THERE IS REALLY NO SUCH THING AS RELEASE FORMS OR SHOOTING PERMITS. IN A JAM, HOWEVER, THE MOST EFFECTIVE SHOOTING PERMIT IN MY EXPERIENCE WAS SIMPLY A FEW CARTONS OF DUTY-FREE CIGARETTES.
ON THIS PROJECT, WE HAD CARTE-BLANCHE TO TRY ALL KINDS OF THINGS. FOR THE DIRECTOR AND I, THIS WAS BASICALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LIST OF OUR FAVORITE BUCKET-LIST SHOOTING LOCATIONS IN BEIJING AND SHOOT AT ALL OF THEM IN ONE DAY. I ALSO HAD BEEN WANTING TO EXPERIMENT WITH CREATING ANIMATIONS AND PATTERNS, AND PROJECTING THEM ONTO THE TALENT IN A BLACKED-OUT STUDIO. WE HOOKED UP MY LAPTOP TO A PROJECTOR AND FILMED SEVERAL TAKES WHILE I MANIPULATED THE ANIMATIONS AND MASHED THEM UP IN REAL TIME, AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
